Mkhitaryan Opens Up About Turbulent Manchester United Tenure
As Arsenal prepare to host Manchester United in a crucial Premier League fixture this weekend, former midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has offered candid reflections on his challenging spell at Old Trafford. The 37-year-old Armenian international, now plying his trade with Inter Milan, described his time working under manager Jose Mourinho as "very hard" but insists he has no regrets about the move.
A High-Profile Transfer That Failed to Ignite
Mkhitaryan arrived at Manchester United in the summer of 2016, completing a £26 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund after reportedly attracting interest from Liverpool. The attacking midfielder joined a squad managed by the then highly successful Mourinho, who had established himself as one of football's most decorated coaches.
Despite winning the Europa League and EFL Cup during his debut season, including scoring in the European final against Ajax, Mkhitaryan's performances never consistently reached the heights he had achieved in the Bundesliga. His game time diminished significantly during his second campaign, leading to his departure after just eighteen months at the club.
The Mourinho Dynamic: A Learning Experience
In a revealing 2021 interview with The Athletic, Mkhitaryan acknowledged the difficulties of his relationship with the Portuguese manager. "I never regret my decisions," he stated. "At that time, he was one of the most successful coaches in the world. I think he was the coach with the most trophies. So that was a different experience."
The midfielder elaborated on the professional lessons learned during this period, noting: "It was very hard but I learned a lot as well. I learned how to defend, how to help the team. It was not only about scoring goals and making assists. It was more about the team winning so it doesn't matter who scored, we had to win together."
Behind the Scenes: WhatsApp Exchanges and a Forced Exit
Further details emerged in Mkhitaryan's autobiography, 'My Life Always at the Centre', where he documented the deteriorating relationship with Mourinho. The player recounted a heated exchange where Mourinho allegedly told him he was "s***", to which Mkhitaryan retorted: "You are the s***. An enormous one."
More remarkably, the memoir reveals that Mourinho maintained a "religious level of silence" during training sessions but would send persistent WhatsApp messages every evening urging the midfielder to leave. "'Miki, leave, please,'" Mkhitaryan recalled the messages reading. "Towards the middle of January, the text changed slightly. 'Miki, please leave, that way I can get Alexis Sanchez.'"
This culminated in the infamous swap deal that saw Mkhitaryan move to Arsenal in January 2018, with Alexis Sanchez travelling in the opposite direction to Old Trafford.
Silverware Amidst Struggle and an Underwhelming Arsenal Chapter
Despite the challenges, Mkhitaryan takes pride in his trophy haul during his brief United career. "I won three trophies with the club, which was amazing," he reflected. "You know, some players have been playing in Manchester for ages but they haven't won anything." He ended his United tenure with 13 goals from 63 appearances.
His subsequent spell at Arsenal proved even less fruitful. Managing just nine goals in 59 games across eighteen months, he departed the Emirates Stadium without adding any further silverware before moves to Roma and eventually Inter Milan.
Legacy and This Weekend's Showdown
As the two clubs he represented in England prepare to face each other, Mkhitaryan's story serves as a reminder of the intense pressures and complex managerial relationships that define top-level football. His experience under Mourinho, while difficult, provided professional development that the player values, even as he acknowledges the personal and professional hardships involved.
The match at the Emirates Stadium takes on added significance with Arsenal seeking to strengthen their position at the Premier League summit, while United aim to disrupt their rivals' title ambitions. For Mkhitaryan, watching from Italy, the fixture will undoubtedly evoke memories of a tumultuous but ultimately trophy-winning chapter in his varied career.
